Doom, gloom & realism

[Unrecognized Genius]

I can remember being rather doom laden before the start of our 2nd season in the Conference.

 

Decent players had left. We had virtually nobody but very dubious triallists to replace them & we got hammered at Canvey (then a division below us) pre season. We had a disastrous start & I was happy to be in the Italian Lakes at the time. If it hadn't been for Brian reading the NLP, seeing Vic the Glad was up for sponsoring someone & striking while the iron was hot we'd have been relegated without a doubt.

 

So, how does this pre-season compare? The players we all wanted to see stay have done so. Sidibe, Essandoh, Gledhill, Pinnock, Wilkerson, Pullen, Sigere & Bunce have gone. In have come McDonald, Gooding, Slatter, Smith, Bowry & Kerr, all on full time contracts, with the likes of Grant on trial.

 

So we got hammered by Colchester & failed to beat Lymington (Er, Charlton nearly lost at Welling who got swamped by Grays.) No, sorry D & G geezers, you'll have to do a lot more to convince me, before I put on the sackcloth & ashes & start wailing "We are doomed ... doomed!" around town.

 

EC

[Hempstead Gaz]

The other thing to remember, is that for huge chunks of last se4ason wew were absolutely abject, couldn't string a pass together, hoofed upfield to where ineffective strikers squandered countless chances.If last years side had remained intact, for sure we would have been prime candidates for the drop.

The main gripe on here is the speed at which the signings have been made, in order to get a settled side, playing with familiarity with each other during the pre-season games.

Realistically, we still need another striker(the elusive 20 goals man) and keeper (although a good young local keeper on part-time would probably suffice for a while).

[Slartibartfast]

I have to confess that I do not expect too much from the coming season and to be honest as long as we are still in the Conference for 2006/2007 I won't be dissapointed wherever we finish.

What does p*ss me off though is the willingness of people on here and at the ground to rubbish our new players before they have had a chance to prove themselves.

A lot of people come on here moaning that the club should sign better players but I can't help thinking that the players we have got deserve better supporters. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

[John Pearce]

No. The truth is that the Fleets long suffering supporters deserve better.

[jc]

Quote:

White Van Nistelrooy said:
No. The truth is that the Fleets long suffering supporters deserve better.

As you say, our support is 'long suffering' in many senses, given the club's less successful years in the Beazer Homes Southern Division etc. But with this context in mind, not a huge number of years in this club's history have we been at the relatively high level in the Pyramid we are now. So, in the grand scheme of things, we have rarely had it so good.

UG backs up what I and others were saying on here the other day - that Conkers was the only player of those that have departed this summer that I was very sad to see leave.

As ever, Slarti, whose opinion that this will be a satisfactory season if we just make sure we secure our Conference status for another year is spot on in my view, proves to be the voice of reason:

Quote:

Slartibartfast said:A lot of people come on here moaning that the club should sign better players but I can't help thinking that the players we have got deserve better supporters. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Rarely were truer words spoken.

[Nols1974]

I can t imagine what this board would ve been like 15 years ago . Big preseason signings Marcus Smart and then a year or so later some bloke whos played for everyclub in Essex. Although he was ok !

[Jimmy]

True, better than having to stand near whingers like you.

[FleetFanatic]

As far as I'm concerned most of you lot are far too doom-ladened. Miserable sods!

 

I think that we'll be top 10 this season and will expect nothing less.

 

The players that have gone were, on the whole, pretty average (to be polite), with the exception of Gledhill. Both 'keepers were error-prone and Wilko, despite being a terrace favourite and keeping us in matches sometimes, probably cost us more than he earnt us overall. Awful kicking, bad positioning a lot of the time.

 

Pinnock - not good enough, Essendoh - playing in what looked to be a comfort zone, Sigere - not doing the business..... if we are to move up a level, then there had to be a cull and fresh players brought in.

 

We have some good players in & I can't believe how depressing some of the posts on here are.

2 or 3 more signings and the squad will be quite solid.

 

So give the new players some support & not get on the team's back this season.

This is where the team DOES deserve better supporters.

If we go 1 nil down, don't boo and jeer - cheer them on, try to inspire them to get the equaliser.

Lots of you say we've never had it so good at the club, so act like that's the case!

 

However, my defence of Daish will be tested if Manny isn't given a contract!

[jc]

Quote:

FleetFanatic said:I think that we'll be top 10 this season and will expect nothing less.

Don't leave yourself open to be disappointed, FF <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> - lower mid-table would do me fine.

That doesn't mean I won't be following your praiseworthy advice though.

Quote:

FleetFanatic said:So give the new players some support & not get on the team's back this season.
This is where the team DOES deserve better supporters.
If we go 1 nil down, don't boo and jeer - cheer them on, try to inspire them to get the equaliser.
Lots of you say we've never had it so good at the club, so act like that's the case!